A Dream of Spring
by Jaenera Targaryen
Summary: Ayame calls in a favor from Zelretch, and travelling back in time grants Rin and Sakura a gift that will forever change their lives. One-shot. Spin-off of 'Purified by Fire, Dancing with Fairies'. Fix Fic/Catharsis.


Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

A Dream of Spring

London was a city transformed by the Green Revolution. Gone was the eclectic hodgepodge of construction that was the result of earlier, more primitive and flawed forms of urban design, all too organic in terms of how they managed the solutions to the problems presented by population growth, transportation of goods and people, and the provision of utilities. Gone was the kilometers-long traffic jams that were the result of inefficient transportation routes, where police cars, fire engines, and ambulances could be lost or delayed for hours at potentially disastrous cost.

No, today, London was a city of the twenty-first century, with all save the historic structures torn down district by district and then rebuilt according to the principles of the third millennium. Sleek, angular, and smoothly-flowing and geometric structures rose into the sky and merged into a vision of progress, almost like something out of the Jetsons, while trees grew evenly-spaced from each other along the streets. Gardens crowned each building, sporting solar panels or wind turbines to supplement their energy needs, itself provided by third-generation nuclear plants which had long since supplanted polluting and inefficient coal or even gas-powered power plants across the world, among the greatest points of progress that the new generation which had risen to power with the Green Revolution could boast of.

Electric cars sped past on the roads, their quiet hum a stark contrast to the loud and ugly roaring of earlier generations of vehicles, and together with the green designs of the cities of the future, helped keep the air clean and pleasant to the breath. And while not as pleasant as the country air, it certainly was much more pleasant than it used to be a decade or so ago, if you asked a certain woman exiting a large vertical farm that towered over a London plaza, carrying GMO apples in a bag of recycled plastic.

Ayame bit into an apple as she stood on the sidewalk, leading against a concrete pillar of the vertical farm while watching people walk past. Finishing one apple, she tossed the core into a nearby bin, and reaching into the bag, fished out another apple to eat. Finishing that, she tossed the core into the nearby bin, and fishing out another apple, ate it as well.

And then there was just one more apple left…

…and checking her wristwatch, Ayame proceeded down the street, across an intersection, and through several more blocks to Hyde Park. Stepping off the concrete sidewalk onto the dirt paths of the park, she proceeded under elms and oaks and other trees over past grass-covered expanses and ponds wherein ducks swam serenely while children played by the banks.

Finally, she arrived at a small square, dominated by a fountain decorated with a statue of the Three Graces. Spotting a nearby bench, Ayame sat down next to a large man reading a newspaper, a jewel-topped cane resting nearby.

Silence fell, broken only by the sounds of the fountain, the playing children nearby, and people chatting not far off. The man turned the pages of the newspaper, while Ayame sat in silence, relaxed and confident.

Finally, the man lowered and folder his newspaper, revealing a face lined with age, his hair and beard white with the passing of time. But for all that, his red-irises shone bright with vigor, vigor reflected in the old man's own movements.

"So," Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg began. "What did you want to talk about, Emiya?"

Ayame pulled out the last apple, and tossed it to Zelretch, who caught it deftly. The vampire raised an eyebrow as he stared at the fruit, and sighing, turned back to the young woman who was currently folding the plastic bag before pocketing it.

"Today is her death anniversary." Ayame said.

"…and?"

"You owe me a favor, over that job I did for you a while back."

Zelretch sighed again. "I know what you're planning to do." He said. "Funny really…back then, you didn't hesitate to stop her from doing what you're planning to do here and now. What's changed?"

_Unforgivable…**absolutely unforgivable…I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!**_

Ayame closed her eyes for a moment, and taking a deep breath leaned forward while rubbing her hands. "Nothing has changed." She said. "I didn't do anything wrong back then. If she had succeeded…the gods know what might have happened. Or you do."

"…I do." Zelretch admitted with a nod. "To say it would have been a nightmare would be an understatement. But…?"

Ayame looked at Zelretch. "I disagree with her methods." She said. "But what she wanted to achieve…sure, it wouldn't have really changed anything at all. But I could understand why she wanted to do it, and in hindsight…it wasn't really wrong. Had there been any other way at the time…I would have helped her. But there wasn't. So I…we, did what we had to do."

_Heat lanced through the air, turning the latter incandescent as it passed…_

_…boiling blood, flash-cooked flesh, and shattered bone splattered out onto the ground…_

Ayame took a deep breath. "It might just be sentimentality," she said. "But let me do this regardless. Help me get to where and when I need to be at, and then bring me back once I'm done, and we'll call it even."

"Really?"

Ayame smiled and shrugged. "Unless you ask me to do a job for you again that leaves you owing me again." She pointed out, and Zelretch chuckled and shook his head.

"Fair enough," he said, and getting to his feet picked up his cane. As he did so, the jewel atop it began to shine, glimmering with all the colors of its rainbow. "I imagine you're ready to go?"

Ayame stood up, straightened her coat, and patting herself to make sure what she needed was there, nodded. "Let's do this." She said, and Zelretch nodded.

And then they were gone.

* * *

Tokiomi Tohsaka blinked, and then pinched the bridge of his nose. _This _was what he'd been called over urgently by Risei?

"No," Zelretch said, seated at Risei's table, having tea with the old priest and his son. "You are not hallucinating, Tokiomi. I am here, and I am Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg."

"…so I see." Tokiomi said with a small bow. "It is an honor to have you here, my lord. Though if you had sent word ahead of your coming, I'd have prepared a formal welcome."

Zelretch waved him off. "That's very generous of you, but I'm fine with something simple like this." He said. "Trust me, with all the power and influence of my office, I get more than enough formality at the Clock Tower and wherever else I visit. And having lived as long and seen as much as I have, it's long since past boring."

"I…see…"

Zelretch took a sip of his tea. "In any case," he said. "I won't be staying long. I'm just here to return a favor."

"Oh?"

Zelretch gestured for Tokiomi to sit, and after a moment and a glance at Risei, did so. "You'll find out what it is, soon enough." Zelretch said. "When you do though…I only ask that you remember what's really important, and to not let your emotions get the better of you."

Tokiomi looked, felt, and sounded lost. "With respect my lord," he said. "I can assure you my self-control is quite impeccable. Whatever the outcome of your…presence, in this city, I shall manage it with all due decorum."

"Hmm…we'll see." Zelretch answered noncommittally. "They were all your daughters through and through, inheriting only their mothers' appearances, and in the end, all are ruled by their hearts, for better or worse."

Tokiomi blinked, and then coming to a realization, rose to his feet. "Your pardon," he said coldly. "But it seems I had forgotten something important. I must take my leave."

"Go," Zelretch said. "But remember what I said: do try not to let your emotions get the better of you."

Tokiomi stared coldly at the Wizard Marshal. "I merely perform my duty as a father." He said, before gesturing at Kirei. "Kirei, come."

Kirei made to rise…

…only for Zelretch to raise a finger, and placed the executor in temporal stasis. "These are Tohsaka family matters." He said in a tone that brooked no disagreement. "Your apprentice has no place in it."

Tokiomi scoffed but said nothing, instead just striding away with an urgent step to his walk. "What are you planning, Lord Zelretch?" Risei asked.

"I plan nothing." Zelretch said, while releasing Kirei from temporal stasis. At a glance from his father, he subsided and sat down, and looked at the Wizard Marshal. "All I can do here and now, is observe events as they transpire, and bear witness to the outcome that results."

"I see." Risei said, and glanced at his son. Kirei glanced back but said nothing, father and son both turning back to Zelretch after a moment.

The vampire said nothing to their questioning expressions, and merely drank his tea.

* * *

Rin and Sakura alike looked up at the sky as golden sparkles began to drift down around them, and then both closed their eyes and turned away as the wind abruptly picked up, blowing hard against them…

…and then just as abruptly as it began, the wind stopped.

They opened their eyes, and looking around in surprise, found themselves standing alone in the middle of a grassy field, atop a ridge that fell gently down to a stream sparkling in the Sun below. Spring flowers bobbed in a gentle breeze, and looking up in awe at the sound of an eagle's cry, followed its flight to snow-capped mountains in the distance.

The sound of grass crunching gently underfoot drew their attention, and then Rin was pushing Sakura behind her as a white-haired woman approached. She was dressed in dark clothes, a grey blouse over black trousers, with a black tie and a long black coat.

Rin tensed as the woman stopped a step away, and then sank down to their level with a smile. "Hello Rin, Sakura," she said. "My name's Ayame, Ayame Emiya. I'm happy to meet you. I am your sister."

Rin and Sakura gasped, wide-eyed at Ayame's introduction. And then Rin's eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything, Ayame had placed a finger to her lips.

"I know it's hard to believe." She said. "You've never met me before, nor have been told about me. There's a reason behind that, but it's not important. Not when we don't have much time, and you'll never meet me again after this. So, here and now, in this moment where we can be together, I want to give you a gift."

"A…gift…?" Sakura asked, stepping past to stand beside Rin despite the latter's efforts to keep her back.

"Yes," Ayame said with a nod, and reaching into her coat, pulled out a pair of wreaths woven from spring flowers. And gently leaning forward, placed them on Rin and Sakura's heads. "Do you know what those flowers are called? They're called primroses, from the Latin _primula_. And they're called that because they're the first flowers to bloom in spring. And just like how spring warmly promises a new year, a new beginning, a new life even, so I gift this to you, little sisters. You are now free. Enjoy the promise of life to the fullest, for the chains of Solomon now have no purchase, nor will they ever again. Live free, grow strong, and be whoever you choose to be."

Ayame smiled wider, and with a glance at each other, and an encouraging smile from Sakura, Rin sighed and smiled back at Sakura. "We will." She said in a slightly hesitant tone. "And thank you…big sister."

Ayame grinned, and then grimacing, clutched at her chest as pain erupted in her body. It spread quickly, like acid melting her skin, her blood boiling, her flesh tearing away, and her bones shattering. It was too much…she couldn't…

Rin and Sakura sprang back as Ayame collapsed with a scream, clutching at her chest and rolling onto her back and thrashing on the grass. "B-big sister…?" Sakura whispered.

"I…I…I'll be fine…" Ayame gasped out, struggling through the pain to get onto her knees. "This pain…it's…it's alright…I have to…bear it…I'm you…older sister…have to…look out…for you…this pain…you can't…I must…AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!"

Rin and Sakura flinched back, as Ayame threw her head back and screamed before collapsing, limp and nerveless on the ground. For a long time, they just stared, and then slowly, they approached, until they were next to Ayame. Sinking down, they turned her over, flinching back as she opened her eyes and gasped heavily.

"I…I'm fine…" she gasped out, pushing herself up and breathing hard. "The pain…is past. But…it's done. I've…done it. As I said…you…both of you…are now free…"

Rin and Sakura stared uncomprehending, as the breeze picked up, and golden light drifted around them once more.

* * *

"It is done."

Zelretch glanced at the worn-looking Ayame as she approached, the two of them meeting together at the predetermined rendezvous point. "He's not going to be happy." Zelretch warned.

Ayame snorted. "What do I care what he feels or thinks?" she sneered. "He never cared about what his children might have taught or felt, so why does he deserve such special treatment?"

"He's your father." Zelretch reminded Ayame. "All of you. Your opinions are only expected to be of no importance, compared to what he judges to be the best for any and all of you."

"…maybe." Ayame said before taking a deep breath. "No, what you say is correct. But if so, then Tokiomi Tohsaka has the worst sense of judgment among the people I've ever met. Hell, I know of hardened criminals who are both better people and better parents than he could ever be."

"That's…arguable, but I see your point." Zelretch said with a sigh, remembering that Ayame was raised by a relative of a _yakuza_ boss, and had grown up knowing that fact and on familiar terms with her guardian's relatives and associates.

"Shall we go?" Ayame asked.

Zelretch eyed her dryly, and then pulling out a wristwatch, began to walk away. "Fair is fair, Emiya." He said before vanishing into the shadows like the vampire that he was. "Five…four…three…two…one…"

The sound of screeching tires drew Ayame's attention as a car pulled up abruptly on the curb, and an agitated Tokiomi ran out of the passenger door. "YOU!" he roared. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

Ayame didn't bother to respond with words. Instead, she just pointed at Tokiomi, aiming by instinct, and fired.

Tokiomi batted the laser aside, and fired off a blast of flame with an incoherent scream. Ayame likewise batted it aside before leaping back and away, firing off lasers as she went. Tokiomi charged after her in hot pursuit, lasers bouncing off an invisible field around him.

Words failed the older magus, all self-control lost at what had been done to his children. Instead, he just roared his rage and fury, blasting flames and explosions against the enemy who had robbed him of his legacy, his pride and joy, and in the most mocking way possible. Not by killing his children, but by taking away all their ability to perform magic.

Ayame likewise said nothing, the expression on her face enough, pure contempt as she danced back, through and between the trees, dodging blasts of fire and explosions. At least, for a time.

"Glitter, Fairy Lights." She said softly, fairies appearing around her. "Buy me some time."

The fairies flashed in acknowledgement, and flew off to engage Tokiomi. Bolts of multicolored light rained down around Tokiomi, who dodged and danced around them with impressive agility and speed.

"_As should be expected from a Tohsaka arch-magus._" Ayame thought. "_Perfect mastery of form and essence…but it won't be enough. It's never enough. For all their perfection, they always seem to forget perfection's flaw: it has no heart. Just like all magi._"

Ayame nodded, coming to a halt in the middle of an open space, and looking up at the sky. "A bounded field…?" she asked while pulling out a gun from behind her. "Not bad…but still not good enough."

Pulling back the hammer primed the mystic code, magic circles appearing in front of the barrel, a trio of counter-rotating circles inscribed with fairy letters flanked by a pair of wings. More fairies emerged, fourteen in all, one each taking their place between the wings' pinions. The circles flashed, and then extended forward of each other, like a segmented cone, energy beginning to gather in visible streaks from the surrounding air into a glowing sphere at the cone's heart.

Ayame's earrings flashed, and a visor-like projection appeared over her eyes. Targeting data scrolled down as a reticule rotated and flew across the screen, tracking Tokiomi as he dodged and fought back against the fairies. "Target locked." Ayame said. "Charge complete. Safeties released. Fairy Bazooka, firing!"

Ayame pulled the trigger, golden light lancing forward in a manner reminiscent of her Saber's Excalibur in younger, happier, more carefree days. The fairies danced clear, and with an expression of enraged frustration, Tokiomi attempted to as well, only to be engulfed by golden light…

…and as it faded, screams and pained shouts filled the air, Tokiomi collapsing with his right arm and leg blown clear off, most of his clothes burned away with the right side of his body covered in second and third-degree burns. His right eye had burst from the heat, and dribbled blood and ocular fluid over his ravaged face.

"That was a bit much." Zelretch said.

"One could say the same about the Crest Worms he fed my little sister to…all for the sake of his glory." Ayame snapped. "He should be thankful I didn't use the Burst Mode."

Zelretch sighed, and pinched his nose. "The Kotomines can handle cleanup." He said with a disappointed expression at Ayame, who didn't look the least bit concerned. "Come on, let's get out of here before you cause even more damage."

Ayame didn't protest, though she did throw one final, contemptuous glance in Tokiomi's direction before she and Zelretch were gone.

* * *

Years had passed since then. Over ten long years with no small amount of hardship, including a father and a husband's descent to insanity and the resulting commitment, a divorce conducted in _absentia _after a deranged attempt at rape during a visit, and new lives begun under an old name.

"I DID IT!" Rin Zenjou happily erupted after excitedly opening and reading a newly-arrived letter, and yelling and cheering at the top of her lungs, jumped and ran around the apartment in glee.

"…let's see…" Sakura Zenjou said while reading the letter she'd grabbed from her sister's hand. "Miss Rin Zenjou, we are pleased to inform you that between your academic records and physical condition, you have been accepted to our prestigious…CONGRATULATIONS SIS!"

"I KNOW, RIGHT?" Rin gushed, returning her sister's hug as they both jumped around in glee. "I DID IT! I ACTUALLY DID IT! I GOT INTO FLIGHT SCHOOL!"

"And knowing you, you'll breeze through it and be flying passenger planes in no time!" Sakura added.

"YES! I KNOW!" Rin yelled at the top of her lungs. "Rome…Paris…Madrid…Rio de Janeiro…it's a dream come true!"

Sakura smiled at her big sister's enthusiasm, and noticing her, Rin calmed down before holding Sakura by the arms. "Now," she said with mock sympathy. "Don't be sad. I mean…I'm sure you'll get your chance next year…"

Sakura stuck her tongue out at Rin. "Ha, ha," she said. "I'm not chasing your coattails, big sis. Besides, I've got dreams of my own."

"Yeah, yeah," Rin said with mock dismissal. "I know what you want. You want to become a justice on the supreme court, right?"

"That's right!" Sakura said with mock pomposity. "Just you watch. Even before you've become a full captain, I'll be making a name for myself as a lawyer, like Phoenix Wright from _Ace Attorney_. And by the time you'll be a captain…"

"…you'll be a judge." Rin said with a smile and a shrug. "Good luck, Sakura."

Sakura shrugged. "Thanks." She said simply. "Good luck to you too."

Rin nodded, and bumping fists together once, the Zenjou sisters then bumped each other's heart. "Oh?" Aoi said, as she entered their Tokyo apartment then and there. "Did something happen?"

"Mom, Rin got her acceptance letter from flight school!"

"Oh that's great! Congratulations, Rin!"

It had been over ten years since the Tohsaka legacy was forever lost, never to be regained. Aoi, Rin, and Sakura had all turned their backs on it, and started a new life together. Life was hard at times, but even though the promise of the past had been broken…

…they couldn't be happier. Their future was theirs for the taking.

* * *

A/N

Watched Heaven's Feel part 2. Fuck you, Tokiomi. This is all your fault.

One-shot fix fic, purely for catharsis.


End file.
